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| Sri Yellamma Renuka temple of Saundatti,KA in.pinterest.com |
Above image: Goddess Yellamma of Saundatti - she is an embodiment of womanhood. The annual Yellamma Jatre festival is about the celebration of the power of women in the form of Shakti............
Located about 5 km away from the town of Saundatti in north Karnataka state is an unusual Devi temple and that is a center of cult followers. Quite surprising that it is closely associated with the ''birth of the Devadasi system in India?” The ancient Devadasi practice of dedicating girls to the temple and later condemned to a life of slavery and exploitation was banned by the government long ago - more than a century or two and does not exist now. Still, the very mention of this temple carries the sigma among a small section of conservative people because of its past association with old Devadasi system.
The main deity enshrined in the sanctum is Yellamma or Ellama, the goddess of fertility. Also known as Renuka temple, it is an important tourist destination and is on top of a hill now called "Yellamma Gudda", named after the temple and is part of the Sidhachal or Ramagiri hill range overlooking the Malaprabha river,
Archaeological records point out the presence of the temple in the mid-8th to mid-11th centuries of the early Rashtrakuta or late Chalukyan period. The builder of this temple was Bomappa Nayaka of Raybag (Bommappa Nayaka of Raibog)in 1514. The archaeological studies further prove the presence of Yellamma fertility cult prior to the 11th century and the occurrence of megalithic black ware and historic redware (pottery dated back to 3rd BCE) suggests such possibility.
Countless devotees, particularly women on the temple premises smear turmeric and vermillion powder all over their body and, according to the priests, they do it as part of their wish to have a baby, happy family life, etc or in fulfilment of the wish to the deity. Also parents bring their children here covered them with neem leaves tightly tied together as a wish for cure of diseases, illness and physical and mental well being.
It is quite surprising that temple of goddess Renuka Yellamma is one of the top 10 revenue earning temples in the state and the government has a plan to develop this place on the model of Kashi Vishwanath temple. Each year the number of devotees coming to this place is on the increase, particularly jogavvas, ardent devotees. They visit the temple at least twice in a year. and actively participate in temple rituals for two or three days. it is a sort of ritual offer to the deity and as part of it they prepare food on the temple premises and collect money for their stay here.
Normally, the Jogavvas come here with their bamboo baskets stuck with neem leaves which they use for begging, and chanted slogans about goddess. It is a custom and every grain of food is for the god.
Jogavvas and other devotees allege that the temple management under the government does not offer adequate lodge facilities to the visitors though they get donations in millions of rupees. Room rents are exorbitant, not affordable by them.
A piece of good news from the state government is it has serious plan to introduce ‘mahaprasadam’ .free food distribution) for devotees. Every Tues day Friday and Sunday, devotes in large numbers visit the shrine. The official announcement was made recently last month and the devotees would welcome it. The free food distribution has long been a pending issue. The government is expected to sanction more than Rs.23 crore for annadhanam (Mahaprasadam) project besides meeting the expenses to build a big dormitory for 3000 plus as part of free food distribution. Since a long line of people -up to 1 km will be standing for darshan, there is a proposal o improve facilities for the devotees in the line. The temple management has already spent Rs. crore for the under ground drainage system.
https://e.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellamma_Temple,_Saundatti
